Australia's offshore humanitarian visa program allows persons outside Australia who are refugees or who face serious human rights abuses to be resettled in Australia permanently. Unlike the onshore protection framework (which applies to persons already in Australia), the offshore humanitarian program is a quota-based resettlement program for persons referred by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or proposed by Australian residents. The program covers five visa subclasses — 200, 201, 202, 203, and 204 — applied for through a single application (Form 842), with the appropriate subclass assigned based on the applicant's circumstances. All offshore humanitarian visas are permanent visas.

For current program allocations, referral processes, and application procedures, refer to the DHA offshore humanitarian visas page.

• Migration Act 1958, s 36 — protection visa obligations
• Migration Regulations 1994 — Subclass 200 (Refugee), 201 (In-Country Special Humanitarian), 202 (Global Special Humanitarian), 203 (Emergency Rescue), 204 (Woman at Risk)
• DHA: Refugee visas (offshore) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/refugee-visas
• DHA: About the refugee and humanitarian program — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-program
• Form 842 — Application for an Offshore Humanitarian visa

Offshore vs onshore protection — two distinct frameworks

Australia has two distinct pathways for refugee protection:

• Offshore humanitarian program (subclasses 200–204): for persons outside Australia who apply from overseas to be resettled; these are quota-based permanent visas
• Onshore protection framework (subclass 866 Protection visa, and TPV/SHEV for unlawful arrivals): for persons who are already in Australia and apply for protection from within Australia

Persons who are overseas and seek resettlement in Australia apply through the offshore program — they do not come to Australia and then apply for protection. Persons who arrive in Australia and seek protection apply through the onshore framework.

The five offshore humanitarian visa subclasses

Subclass 200 — Refugee

The subclass 200 is for persons who are subject to persecution in their home country or are outside their country of nationality and are unable or unwilling to return due to a well-founded fear of persecution. Subclass 200 applicants are primarily referred by the UNHCR — Australia relies on UNHCR identification and referral of eligible persons. Direct applications without a UNHCR referral are rarely successful. This is the core Convention Refugee resettlement subclass.

Subclass 201 — In-Country Special Humanitarian

The subclass 201 is for persons who are still living in their home country and face persecution but have been unable to leave — for example, persons in countries where departure is restricted by the government. This is a relatively small program.

Subclass 202 — Global Special Humanitarian

The subclass 202 is for persons who face substantial discrimination amounting to a gross violation of human rights in their country — even if they do not meet the Convention Refugee definition. Key feature: the applicant must have an Australian proposer — a person in Australia who agrees to provide assistance and support to the applicant on arrival. The proposer can be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or eligible organisation. The Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) is primarily administered through the subclass 202. For information on the Special Humanitarian Program, refer to the DHA SHP page.

Subclass 203 — Emergency Rescue

The subclass 203 is for persons referred by the UNHCR for emergency resettlement — persons in situations of extreme urgency where immediate resettlement is required. The subclass 203 is used for a small number of emergency cases each year.

Subclass 204 — Woman at Risk

The subclass 204 is for women outside their home country who are without the protection of a partner or relative and are in danger of victimisation, harassment, or serious abuse because of their gender. The Woman at Risk program specifically addresses the particular vulnerabilities of women and girls in refugee situations and is administered primarily through UNHCR referrals.

Annual program quota — 20,000 places (2025–26)

The Australian Government sets an annual quota for offshore humanitarian visas. For 2025–26, the Government has maintained 20,000 places. Places are allocated across the refugee (primarily subclasses 200, 203, 204) and special humanitarian (primarily subclass 202) categories. Demand significantly exceeds supply — UNHCR and DHA manage caseloads and referral queues accordingly.

Permanent residence outcome

All offshore humanitarian visas (subclasses 200–204) are permanent visas. On arrival, the holder can live, work, and study in Australia indefinitely. Family members (spouse/partner and dependent children) are typically included in the same application. The holder becomes eligible to apply for Australian citizenship after meeting the citizenship residence requirements.

Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP)

Persons granted offshore humanitarian visas are typically enrolled in the Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) — a government-funded program that provides settlement support services (accommodation, orientation, English language training, employment support) for the initial period after arrival. For information on the HSP, refer to the DHA HSP page.

Australia's offshore humanitarian program is distinct from the onshore protection system — it is a proactive resettlement initiative, not a response to individuals who arrive and claim protection. The subclass 200 program depends heavily on UNHCR referral capacity, which means the actual processing of cases can involve multi-year wait times depending on the referral pipeline and UNHCR assessments in the countries of first asylum. The subclass 202 Special Humanitarian Program is the primary pathway for persons with Australian family connections or community ties who face serious human rights violations, even if they do not meet the strict Convention Refugee definition. For current program allocations, referral processes, Form 842, and how to find authorised proposers for the SHP, refer to the DHA offshore refugee visas page.